The Sound of “Stranger Things”

I’ve been watching the new Netflix show Stranger Things. As an ’80s nostalgia piece the soundtrack is liberally sprinkled with period pop and rock, but for me it’s the original score that’s the real draw (in fact, it was the opening theme that prompted me to watch, rather than any of the trailed action, plot or talent).

It puts me in mind of golden-age John Carpenter, or Tangerine Dream at their moody, modular best (circa Ricochet). Hear for yourself:

I KNOW, RIGHT?

The most astonishing part of this for me is that the score is produced by two members of a very little-known synth-based quartet from Austin, Texas – S U R V I V E – the truly nuts part of this being that you can not only stream a bunch of their stuff for free from their SoundCloud page, but you can also pick up digital releases for as little as a dollar from BandCamp.

S U R V I V E have a new album out soon, apparently. Have to say, I am very much looking forward to it.